About N22.45bn was paid to pensioners by the Federal Government under the Defined Benefit Scheme between January and March this year.

Figures obtained from the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate on Friday showed that the amount was paid to pensioners that were confirmed as genuine retirees after the recent verification.

Statistics from PTAD showed that during the three month period, N2.21bn was paid in January to 111,525 civil service pensioners and 219 retired permanent secretaries and head of service; N2.2bn was paid in February to 111,507 civil service pensioners and 218 retired permanent secretaries while N2.2bn was paid in March to 111, 484 civil service pensioners.

For civil servants under the Treasury Funded Parastatals Pension Department, the sum of N2.12bn was paid to 111,525 pensioners in January; in February and March, they had N2.21bn and N2.2bn, respectively.

Ikeazor said under the data management system, over 19,000 pensioners whose accounts did not have the required Bank Verification Number were identified and suspended from the government payroll.